Dodge Durango

For numerous years, Dodge has been a go to name for off-road and heavy duty vehicles. The reason behind this might be the great success that the company has received from its iconic SUV, the Durango. It has proved to be a key asset to the company's lineup and has provided stiff competition in the current SUV market.

The new Durango has really been styled to match the current demands of the market. Dodge has allowed for the influx of new ideas to help shape and design the 2014 Durango. It shares the same basic platform as the Mercedes GL-class and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, both successful cars in their own respective brands. The Durango has gone through certain cosmetic upgrades that really appeal to the current modern market of the automotive industry. New taillights and a grille have shaped the Durango into something new completely.  The use of LED lights around the car has given a sharper more attractive appearance to the car.

The Durango comes with two different engine variants. The first unit is a 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar. This puts out about 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. This adequate for the driver who is just wants to get round town with no rush. However, for the more enthusiastic driver Dodge gives another excellent option, a 5.7-liter V8 Hemi. The power figures for the Hemi are 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to a brilliant 8-speed auto. This allows for more of the power to be distributed equally over the torque range. This allows 0-60 mph times to be clocked at 7.7 seconds for the V6 and 6.8 seconds for the V8.

The Durango comes in both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. This helps with further personalization of the car according to the driver's needs. Fuel economy has also seen a nine percent increase from the previous model. The intelligent Hemi shuts off half the cylinders when the car in cruising and does not need to use all eight cylinders. This gives figures of 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway for the V8 and 22 mpg city and 25 mpg for the V6.

The interior of the Durango is a plethora of gadgets and comfort. The cabin is lined with leather and quality and attention to detail is obvious. The numerous trims available allow customers to choose which level of luxury they prefer. Certain trims include heated seats, heated steering wheel and Dodge's signature 8.2-inch media system dubbed Uconnect. The Durango also offers many driver aids that help make the drive safer. These include blind spot monitoring, rear cross path alert, which helps alert the driver if someone is walking behind the car so that they are not hit and crash mitigation that works the brakes faster than most drivers react

The price for the new 2014 Dodge Durango ranges from $27,975 to $40,995 depending on which trim and options are chosen.